Apparatus for the treatment of certain diseases.



No. 788,943. YATENTED MAY 2, 1905. A. H. POHL.

APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT O CERTAIN DISEASES.

APPLIOATIQN FILED 001231.19011.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' PATBNTED MAY 2, 1905.

A. H. POHL. APPARATUS FOB. THE TREATMENT OP CERTAIN DISEASES.

APPLIOATION FILED 00T. 31,1904.

UNiTED STATES Patented May 2, 1905.

PATENT OEEicE.

ARTHUR H. POHL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPEGIFICATIONformng part of Letters Patent No. 788,943, dated May 2,1905.

Application filed October 3l, 1904:. Serial No. 230,697.

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR H. PoHL, a sub- I ject of the Emperor ofGermany. residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatusfor the Treatment of Certain Diseases, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to certain new and Liseful improvements inapparatus for the treatment of certain diseases; and its object is toproduce a device of this class which shall have certain advantages whichwill appear more fully and at large in the course of this specification.

To this end my invention consists in certain novel features which arefully illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described herein.

,In the aforesaid drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section throughmy improved device. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the rheostats and the ringwhich supports them. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan of the device with the hoodand relector removed. Fig. 4 is an under plan of the Lipperglower-support and the glowers supported thereby. Fig. 5 is an enlargedfragmental view similar to Fig. l. Fig. 6 is an Linder plan of theterminals for the glowers. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the rheostats andtheir terminals, and Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic View showing the circuitarrangement.

Referring' to the drawings, A is a plate of as bestos upon the upperface of which is a mass of plaster-of-paris or similar material B, inwhich are embedded the lower ends of a plurality of rheostats B',similar to those in use in the ordinary Nernst lamp. A metallic rod A2eX- tends through the asbestos plate and plasterof-paris and supports aplate B2, perforated to receive the upper ends of the rheostats to holdthe same in place. The Lipper end of the rod A2 carries a terminal blockA3, having wire terminals of the ordinary form. A shell C, havinghandles c, is supported by the rod A2 and the asbestos plate A toinclose the upper portion of the device.

On the lower face of the plate A is an inverted channel-shaped lavagloWer-support D,

which supports a plurality of glowers 0l, such as are in common use inthe Nernst lamp. At

the ends of this channel-shaped support are two single supports D',across which are stretched glowers LZ', running at right angles to theglowers d, and below the same and outside and parallel with the flangesof the support D is a third pair of glower-supports D2, supportingglowers di, parallel with the glowers d, but lying below the spacesbetween them, as illustrated. Each of the glowers is arranged in serieswith one of the rheostats, the circuit arrangement being illustrated inFig. 8. The terminals of the glowers and rheostats are clearlyillustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, and Vno detailed description will benecessary. It will be seen that one terminal of each of the rheostats isconnected to a ringE and that one terminal of each of the glowers isconnected to one of three plates F, all of which are in electricalconnection. The remaining terminals of the rheostats are connected tosmall'binding-posts F', which are in turn connected to binding-posts F2on the lower faceof the asbestos platform, (see Fig. 6.) to which arealso connected the other terminals of the glowers, so that the currentflows through both glowers and rheostats. The ring E and plates F areconnected to the lead-wires E3 E4, as shown. `Inasmuch as a great numberof glowers are employed in close proximity to each other. the heatarising therefrom is so exceedingly intense thatI have provided meansfor cooling the device, which, as here shown, consists of a tube O,extending back and forth through the platform. Acooling medium, such asWater or air, is passed through the tube by any suitable means.

I Below the plate A is supported a ring G, which carries a plurality ofdownwardly-projecting radial tubes Cr', preferably transparent and ofviolet color, which are filled with a mixture of radio-active substance,preferably barium sulfate, precipitated in the presence of uraniumnitrate, and a phosphorescent substance, preferably zinc sulfid. Outsidethe plate A is a reflector H, adapted to concentrate the rays of light,and a metallic hood or shade I surrounds the entire structure andcarries at its lower end a slide in which can IOO be inserted a sheet ofsuitably-colored glass or other transparent or translucent material J ora vessel of colored liquid to cut off the heat-rays as desired.

In operation the glowers of my improved .device are heatedwith analcohol iiame or a Bunsen burner until they will conduct electricity,after which the device is operated as is the ordinary Nernst lamp. Theheating-tubes of the Nernstlamp are omitted for two reasons. In thelirst place the cut-out device, which ordinarily accompanies theheating-tube, must be maintained in a single position in order to workproperly, and consequently the device has not the necessary portabilityfor therapeutic use. Furthermore, in order to get the desired intensityof light I arrange three series of glowers one above the other, and theheating-tubes would prevent any such system, because of the shadowswhich the heatingtubes of the lower glowers would cast. My presentarrangement, itwill be seen, gives the maximum of lighting effect withthe minimum of shadows. Thislight is particularly desirable fortherapeutic purposes because of its comparative freedom from red raysand the comparatively large number of violet and ultraviolet rays. Theuse of the radio-active and phosphorescent tubes greatly assists in thetherapeutic action of the light. The light from the glowers is rich inchemical rays and increases the activity both of the lphosphorescentmaterial and the radio-active material.

It will be evident that as the device is constructed it can be placed inany desired position to treat any portion of the patients anatomy.

The rays from my improved device are particularly desirable in theireffects upon the nerves, and they are entirely free from the burningeect of the X-rays and gama radium-rays. I ind that the combined raysgiven off-that is, the light-rays, phosphorescent rays, and the raysfrom the radio-active substance-form an especially desirable combinationfor my purpose. Another important advantage of this light is the factthat the light produced is of intense brilliancy and is devoid of anyflickering or interruption in the steadiness of the light. Suchiiickering has the effect of irritating the nerves of the system, and byavoiding this difficulty very beneficial results are obtained.

I realize that considerable variation is posi sible in the details ofthis construction without departing from the spirit of my invention, andI do no t, therefore, intend to limit myself to the specific form hereinshown and described.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a device ofthe class described the combination with a suitable support, of a seriesof glowers carried thereby and suitable terminals for the glowers, thedevice being unprovided with the heating-tubes usually employed, wherebyportability of the device is obtained.

2. In a device of the class described,the combination with a suitablesupport, of a plurality of glowers in parallel planes, the glowers inthe adjacent planes running at right angles to each other and thealternate planes alternating with respect to each other.

3. In adevice of the class described, the combination with aseries ofglowers and suitable electrical connections therewith, of a plurality oftubes containing a radio-active substance surrounding the glowers.

4.. In a device of the class described, the combination with a series ofglowers and suitable electrical connections therewith, of a plurality"of tubes containing a phosphorescent substance surrounding the glowers.

In a device of the class described, the combination with a series ofglowers and suitable electrical connections therewith, of a plurality oftubes containing a mixture of radio-active and phosphorescent materialsurrounding the glowers.

6. In adevice of the class described, the combination witha suitablelight, of a plurality of tubes containing a radio-active substancesurrounding the light.

7. In adevice ofthe class described, the com- 9 5 bination with asuitable light, of a plurality of tubes containing a phosphorescentsubstance surrounding the light.

8. In adevice of the class described, the combination with a suitablelight, of a plurality of roo tubes containinga mixture of radio-activeand phosphorescent material surrounding the light.

9. In adevice of the class described, the combination with a suitablelight, of a plurality of transparent, violet-colored tubes, containing aradio-active substance surrounding the light.

l0. In a device of the class described, the combination with a suitablelight, of a plurality of transparent, violet-colored tubes con- IIOtaining a phosphorescent substance surrounding the light.

1l. In a device of the class described, the combination with a suitablelight, of a plurality of transparent, violet-colored tubes containing amixture of radio-active and phosphorescent material surrounding thelight.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination with a casingand an asbestos platform supported therein, a plurality of rheostatssupported above said platform, a series of terminals connectedtherewith, a series of glowers supported upon the opposite side of theplatform in electrical connection with said rheostats, a reflectorsurrounding said glowers and a hood inclosing the reflector and glowers.

13. In a device of the class described, the combination with a series ofglowers, of a tubular ring surrounding the same, a series of [30colored-glass tubes supported by said ring and a radio-active substanceconfined in said glass tubes and ring.

14. In a device of the class described, the combination with a suitablesupport, of a series of glowers supported thereby, a hood carried bysaid support and surrounding the glowers, a guide on said hood and asuitablycolored transparent plate supported in said guide.

15. In a device of the class-described, the

combination with a suitable support, of a plu-` rality of glowerssupported upon one side of said support, a plurality of rheostats inelectrical communication with said glowers, and

a cooling medium interposed between said glowers and rheostats.

ARTHUR H. POHL.

Witnesses:

CHAs. O. SHERVEY, K. M. CORNNALL.

